Sectional folding beauty-health board with rocker means



SECTIONAL. FOLDING BEAUTY-HEALTH BOARD WITH ROCKER MEANS Filed May 8, 1950 March 11, 1952 G. v. REAHGER ETAL 2,588,762

F195 F1916 Inventors imam Patented Mar. 11, 1952 oFFicii 1 2,588,762 SECTIQNAL FOLDING BE TY-HE BOARD WITH GKERMEA S Georgie V. Reager, Richland, Wash, and Amy Burkett, Ocean Springs, Miss.

plicati n May 8, 1950 Seria No- .ldflflfid.

1 Claim. (01. 311-45 This invention relates to improvements in sec-v tional folding beauty-health board with rocker means used for securing rest in the inclined position, with the feet elevated above the head, frequently recommended by physicians, beauticians and physical culturists for the treatment of many physical disorders of the body and improvement of the health, appearance and mental faculties, is by the inventors of the invention covered by Patent No. 2,479,469, issued August 16, 1949, and is a modification or improvement thereof.

This present invention has for an object to provide a board or bench of the type which may be opened in the horizontal position and which will, when the body is postured thereon, automatically incline gradually and gently to lower the head and elevate the feet, and, when the upper portion of the body is raised, will automatically revert to the horizontal position.

Another object thereof is to provide a board or bench of the type which may be folded into a neat and serviceable bench or table suitable for use as a piano, radio or dressing table bench, or coifee table, magazine stand, or other pur-, poses.

Another object thereof is to provide a board or bench of the type which may be folded up so as to occupy a small space and when opened out will be automatically supported, or braced, so as to form a rigid board of sufiicient length to posture the body of an adult person thereon.

Another object thereof is to provide a board or bench of the type which may be adjusted so as to regulate the angle of incline to suit the wishes of the user.

With the above and other objects in View, our invention consists of the arrangements, combinations and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specifications, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l isa side View or elevation, open hori-v zontal position, with inclined position indicated by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, closed position, taken on line Fig. 2-:Fig. 2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevation, closed position, taken on line Fig. fir-Fig. 3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view in closed position.

T e boa d s di c ed co pri a top in h e secti ns Head s c on I is oore d to center section 2 by means of a continuous hinge l4 and d ted to e folded up rd and inward to lie flat upon the top of section 2. Foot section 3 oorm tod to e ente s c on 2 by m a of ontinu i ge 15 mo nt d u on ise s I6 nd 1 a i d to se t ons 2 .an 3, r sp e ee Fig l and 6).. in rder t t s c n 3 ay be folded upwa d and inward to overlie both ection 1 a d 2- t w ll e s en a s t n is orter-th n sectio s 2 and 3 p o id space o isers 6 and a d hen o ed a i i s. 2 and 45 the end i hose sect ons I, 2 an 3 will b flu h.-

Side sections 4 and 5 are joined together rigd y by dross-t es 5 and l h end f pp bars 8 and 3 are connected movably to the inside o ide c ions 4 and 5 by pivots l8 d to form a rectangular frame to support the top truc ure the unders de of t p s t n 2 b n fastened to the tops of cross-ties 6 and 1 by suitble moans .B refer nce. o the draw n s Figs. 5 an 6 it W ll be s e that cross-ties 6 and 1 are o p aoo w t reference o t e op f i e ction .4 and 5 ha w en the bo d closed o p o ct on 3 wil be .fiush wit t e t p of side s c i ns 4 and .5 va end se i ns and 9 are Pro ided wi h a gr o o m o r hin es l4 and I5, respectively, when in the closed position, and pivots l8 and I9 are so placed in the ends of end sections 8 and 9 and the inner sides of side sections 4 and 5 that when in the horizontal position sections 8 and 9 will fit flush against the under side of sections and 2 and 2 and 3, respectively, and form a rigid support for sections I and 3 when opened, and when in the closed position, as in Figs. 2 and 1, sections 8 and '9 will be, in the vertical position and the outside thereof will be flush with the ends of side sections 4 and 5, the inside thereof will fit flush against the ends of sections l, 2 and 3, and the top thereof will be flush with the top of side sections 4 and '5 and top section 3, and, in combination with the tops of side sections 4 and 5 and top section 3, form a smooth, continuous surface. Side sections 4 and 5 and end sections 8 and -9 combine to form a skirt to conceal hinges l4 and I5, the ends of sections I, 2 and 3 and the o n m a ism of the ce Whonin e closed position,

The frame is mounted upon a base comprised 'of side sections 10 and Il joined together by cross-ties 12 and 13. To hold the frame securely upon the base and provide means for gradually and smoothly lowering the head section I and elevating foot section 3 when the body is postured upon the board, we provide rockers 20 which are fastened securely to the inside of side sections 4 and 5 near the bottom thereof in such manner as to rest upon the top of base sections Ill and II and connected movably thereto by hanger bolts 22, as shown in Fig. 2. These rockers 20 are convex at one end, so as to permit head section I to rock downward, and straight on the remainder of the surface which rests upon the top of base sections and II so that the board will remain in the horizontal position until weight is placed upon head section I and so that foot section 3 will not rock downward, and are provided with a hole 2I cut vertical on the side toward the convex end of the rocker and at an angle on the side toward the straight end thereof, so that this hole is round on the underside of the rocker and oblong on the upper side thereof, to permit the rocker to move freely upon hanger bolts 22 which are inserted through these holes 2! and screwed into the top of base sections I0 and I I.

Washers 23 and compression springs 24 are placed on hanger bolts 22 on top of rockers and held in place by nuts 25, so that as rockers 20 move upward on hanger bolts 22 springs 24 will be engaged, and when springs '24 are fully compressed the downward movement of head section I will be stopped. Hanger bolts 22 are provided with a threaded section at the top thereof, so that nuts 25 may be adjusted upward or downward to regulate the point at which the downward movement of head section I will be stopped and the angle of incline of the board thereby regulated.

Expansion springs 26 are fastened to the inside of side sections 4 and 5 just under section 2 near the foot end thereof by screws 21 and to the top of base sections Ill and II by screws 28, to prevent the board from rocking until weight is placed upon the head section, control the downward movement when weight is placed upon the head section so that it will be gradua1 and smooth, and, in cooperation with springs 24, cause the board to revert to the horizontal position when weight is removed from the head section. These springs 26 perform the further function of acting as additional braces to prevent the foot section from rocking downward.

While in the drawings we have shown rocker 20, hanger bolt 22, washer 23 springs 24 and 28, and nut 25 and appurtenant connections on one side of the frame only, it will be understood that similar fixtures are located on each side of the frame.

To hold the frame and top rigid when closed, we provide pin 29, which is inserted through base section I II into side section 4.

To overcome the tendency of the body to slide downward when in the inclined position, we provide a rubber mat (not shown in the drawings) which is secured to the top of center section 2.

To operate, pin 29 is pulled out so as to permit the frame to rock on the base; the tops of support bars 8 and 9 are pivoted outward to the horizontal position and the inside of the lower half thereof thereby forced up against the bottom of center section 2 and the lower edge thereof against the outside of cross-ties 6 and I, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6; top sections I and 3 are then opened out to lie flat on the top of support bars 8 and 9 and in line with center section 2, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. The body is postured upon the bench by first sitting upon the end of center section 2 toward the foot section 3, then placin the feet on foot section 3 and lowerin the body and head onto head section i. As the body is lowered onto section I, the weight thereof automatically rocks head section I downward on rockers 2B and elevates foot section 3, while springs 26 check the downward movement so as to make it gentle. As the head section I nears the floor, rockers 20 rise on bolts 22 and engage springs 24, and as springs 24 compress the downward movement of section I is brought to a gradual stop without any jar or jolt. When the user desires to arise the head and body are raised to the sitting position and as this is done the board automatically reverts to the horizontal position so that the user may arise without difficulty or inconvenience.

The board is closed so as to form a bench, with all mechanism concealed, as in Fig. 4, by folding head section I over center section 2, and foot section 3 over head section I; returning support bars 8 and 9 to the vertical position, and pushing pin 29 back into side section 4.

To decrease the angle of incline nut 25 is screwed down on bolt 22 so that spring 24 is engaged sooner and the downward movement of head section I stopped at a point higher above the floor and the angle of incline thus reduced. To increase the angle of incline nut 25 is raised on bolt 22.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within the scope and coverage of the appended claims.

We claim:

In a device of the class described the combination of a board in three sections having the end of the head section hinged to the center section by a continuous hinge so as to fold upward and inward to overlie the center section and the foot section hinged to the opposite end of the center section by a continuous hinge mounted upon risers so as to fold upward and inward and overlie both the head and center sections and forming the top structure; the top structure mounted within a straight rectangular frame in such manner that when closed the side and end sections of the frame will form a skirt to conceal the mechanism of the device and the tops of the side and end sections of the frame in combination with the top of the board when folded will form a smooth, continuous surface; the ends of the aforesaid frame being movably connected to the inner sides of the sides of the frame in such manner that they may be pivoted to the horizontal position to permit the unfolding of the foot and head sections of the board to form an elongated platform, and rigidly support said foot and head sections of the board when unfolded; rockers, convex on one end and straight on the remainder of the under side thereof and having holes near the center thereof cut vertical on the side toward the convex end of said rocker and at an angle on the side toward the straight end, attached to the inside of the frame; a base supporting the frame and movably connected thereto by means of hanger bolts inserted through the holes in the aforesaid rockers and screwed into the top of the base in such manner that the board will remain in the horizontal position until weight is placed upon the head section thereof and thereupon the entire board will rock to the inclined position and remain stationary in that position until weight is removed from the head section and then automatically revert to the horizontal position, but will not rock in the opposite direction; nuts on the top of the aforesaid hanger bolts which may be adjusted upward or downward to control the degree of angle of the board when in the inclined position; compression spring on the hanger bolts between the top of the rocker and the adjusting nut and expansion springs interposed between thetop of the supporting base and the underside of the board top near the foot end thereof to produce a gradual, smooth downward motion, stop said downward motion when the desired angle of incline is reached, and return the board to the horizontal position when weight is removed from the head section thereof; and means provided for locking the frame and base together to hold the board stationary in the horizontal position when desired.

GEORGIE V. REAGER. AMY BURKETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 158,869 Streit Jan. 19, 1815 207,900 Schulter Sept. 10, 1878 224,340 Knoohel Feb. 10, 1880 229,533 Hofimeier 1 July 6, 1880 426,601 Muhl Apr. 29, 1890 1,740,906 Rothauszky et a1. Dec. 24, 1929 2,244,614 Fox June 3, 1941 2,479,469 Burkett et a1. Aug. 16, 1949 2,499,242 Fleming Feb. 28, 1950 2,529,638 Spradlen Nov. 14, 1950 

